Of Psychics and Scientists
by daughterofnemesis
Summary: AU in which Jemma is a psychic, Fitz is a university student, and his roommate (who isn't that terrible) pressures him into going on vacation during Valentine's Weekend. I own nothing!
The Seychelles islands were beautiful. Not that Fitz noticed as he hurriedly disembarked the plane, which had landed half an hour late. He didn't have time for this, he thought as he quickly walked to the baggage claim, passing at least ten couples. Honestly, Fitz didn't see the point of going away for Valentine's Day. If you felt the need to be romantic, it was easier and much less expensive to do it at home. And there wasn't the added stress of trying to plan a schedule and stick to it.

He'd been taken aback when Ward had handed him a plane ticket to the islands, telling him that he needed the room clear for when Kara came over that weekend. Fitz may not have liked the idea of leaving campus, even if it was just for a few days, but he'd gotten Mack to promise to record the lectures for him, and he wasn't going to just turn down a free trip to an excellent vacation destination. Well, he'd have to pay for food and the like, but the hotel and the travel costs were paid for, and that was plenty.

Fitz did have to wonder why Ward had gone to all that trouble, and that curiosity had turned to slight annoyance when Ward suggested that he might make a romantic connection. It seemed some days as though that was all that Ward thought about. Still, Fitz wasn't going to question it.

He picked up his suitcase and pulled out his phone, queuing up directions for the hotel, which was only a little while away. He barely looked up during the entire walk, checking into the small hotel as quickly as possible and then taking the stairs to his room, refusing to use the elevator, which looked old and rickety. And slow.

He finally entered his room and opened his laptop, signing into the wifi and hoping the connection would hold. He opened Skype and called Mack, praying the lab hadn't started yet. It hadn't.

"Hey Turbo," Mack said as he answered the Skype call. "Lab is just starting. Can you see all right?" Fitz nodded agitatedly, wishing he could see their teacher explain what was going on. Mack fell silent as the professor began explaining the lab, and then left them to it. Mack ran to grab supplies and the two began the process.

Fitz hated not being there and being able to touch everything. At times he would stand and pace around the room, hands digging through his hair as he spoke frustratedly to Mack.

"Don't ya' see i'? Tha' cylinder goes over there, Mack!"

"You got it buddy," Mack sighed tiredly. The professor wandered over, wondering who Mack was talking to.

"Oh, hello Fitz," he said surprisedly.

"Hello sir," he answered, inclining his head.

"Why aren't you in class?" he asked.

"Got offered a mostly free vacation. Couldn' say no." The professor nodded sagely.

"I don't want to see your marks drop because of this," he warned. "You picked an awkward time, what with courses just starting up again. Are you sure you can do this?"

"I know most o' the material already, sir. Jus' needed the credit. 'Sides, my roommate kicked me out."

"Alright," the prof said in a tone of voice that implied that nothing was actually alright, but moved on.

"If you had been anyone else, that would not have been pretty," Mack in an undertone, but kept working. The lab ended, and the two said their farewells.

"And you're sure there aren' any more labs this week?" Fitz asked.

"I'm very sure. Your recordings will be waiting for you when you return, so go have fun, alright?"

"Alrigh', alrigh'. You don' have ta' patronize me." Mack smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Go meet cute chicks." He ended the call before a red-faced Fitz could splutter a reply. Closing the laptop, Fitz looked around his room, taking in the details for the first time. There was a lovely painting above the bed, and a large T.V. on the opposite wall. There was a small mini-fridge (though it was completely empty) and a menu for food-service on the desk beside the bed.

Fitz briefly considered ordering in food service and taking a day-long nap; he could feel the jet lag setting in already, but it was barely ten in the morning and then he wouldn't be able to sleep at night, meaning that there would be a whole new slough of problems to deal with once he woke up. Instead, he decided to unpack, and then go for a walk along the pier. He unpacked slowly, trying to make it so that he would be outside around lunchtime, and then walked out, pocketing the hotel card and making sure his wallet was in his other pocket.

He took the elevator this time, and spent the entire ride down wondering if he could somehow make it go faster. It was stiflingly hot, and he tugged at his collar uncomfortably. He was wearing khaki shorts and a light blue polo shirt, and while they were considerably lighter than his usual pullover and dress pants, he had to wonder if he had still underestimated the heat. He drummed his fingers against his leg, wondering how long it took an elevator to travel down three floors. As if in answer to his thoughts, the doors opened.

He walked out quickly, tossing a wave over his shoulder to the clerk. He again followed phone directions to the pier, though he put it away when it became obvious. The sea was a beautiful shade of teal, and he stopped for a moment to admire it. Then his stomach rumbled, reminding him of his pursuit of food. He walked along the streets, scanning storefronts for a nice place to eat.

One store caught his attention, though it wasn't because of food. A quaint sign hanging above the door read "Your Friendly Neighbourhood Psychic," but instead of the usual black cats, witches' hats and other stereotypic psychic stuff, it simply featured a rainbow-coloured heart. Perhaps to signify auras?

Fitz wasn't too interested in superstition, but he had gone through a brief phase when he was younger in which he was absolutely obsessed with the supernatural. The shop intrigued him. He walked on, promising himself that he would return. He found a little restaurant nearby with a small patio, and got in line. The place was surprisingly busy, and the waiter, upon seeing him, asked him a little desperately if he minded sharing a table with someone else. He shrugged noncommittally, and the waiter grinned, relieved, and showed him to a table where a young woman with brown hair tied in a low ponytail sat, nibbling delicately on a plate of crisps. She wore a plain white blouse with a colourful scarf around her neck, and Fitz had to wonder how she wasn't boiling in the heat.

He sat down a bit awkwardly. "Um, hello," he said, waving. "They were out of tables and they said I had ta' sit wi' someone else. I suppose you're the someone else." She smiled.

"That 'someone else would be named Jemma. Jemma Simmons," she added, extending her hand. Fitz took the handshake.

"Fitz. Well, technically Leopold, but everyone calls me Fitz." Jemma nodded.

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting a Scotsman when they asked me if someone could sit with me."

"Well, I wasn't expecting a Brit!"

"Actually, I've been living in the islands for a few years now," Jemma clarified.

"And I'm completing my second degree in America, so I guess we're both displaced."

"Uni? Aren't the courses just starting again?" Fitz sighed. He didn't like explaining things several times.

"Yeah, but my roommate kicked me out of our room for Valentine's, and gave me a mostly free vacation. It's a bit hard ta' say no." Jemma nodded sagely.

"What are you taking?" she asked. Most people, when they asked that question, sounded like they asked it out of duty, but she sounded genuinely curious.

"Engineerin'. What do you do?" Jemma looked mildly embarrassed.

"Well, I run a little shop."

"Wow," Fitz said with a grin. "Tha' must be challenging."

"Sometimes. Most of my customers just come in looking for a laugh." Jemma added with a sigh.

"Wait. Would your shop happen to be that 'Friendly Neighbourhood Witch,' place I saw earlier?" Fitz asked.

"Yes, why?" She answered, sounding a bit uneasy.

"I was planning on stoppin' in after lunch. I'm not really in the scene much anymore, but when I was a kid it was all I cared about. I love the ties between geology and the psychologies attributed to 'em."

"Yes!" Jemma exclaimed. "And colour symbolism versus the aura meanings is so interesting!" Fitz nodded.

"Can I have a crisp?" He asked, pointing at the plate in front of her. She nodded, pushing the plate into the centre of the table.

They ate together, chatting about shared interests and asking questions until they finished the crisps, and then a waiter came by and asked if they wanted desserts. Fitz looked slightly startled, but a look from Jemma prompted him to agree.

They wound up splitting a slice of strawberry pie, which was warm and flakey, and the ice cream on top melted into a sort of vanilla sauce that made it perfection. They both ordered tea as well, Fitz getting peppermint and Jemma ordering earl grey. They both added a dash of sugar, and continued chatting. Fitz learned that Jemma had originally pursued biochemistry, and had a degree, but had become interested in symbolism, which had led her to study aura and the like.

"And I guess I sort of decided to make a career out of it," Jemma concluded awkwardly. "And I've always loved the idea of working somewhere that's warm all the time, and what started as a vacation ended as a business venture."

"Tha' is quite impressive," Fitz said, nodding. "I'm afraid my story's a lot less interestin'."

Jemma dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "Nonsense. Go on."

Fitz stuttered through a quick account of how this was his second university degree in two years, and he was considered one of the leading minds in engineering. "I mean, not to brag or anythin' but-"

"It's not bragging if it's the truth, Fitz," Jemma reprimanded. Fitz blinked. The familiar way she'd used his name had been odd, but nice nonetheless.

The waiter returned to the table with the bill, and Fitz raised a hand as if to pay.

"Fitz!" Jemma protested.

"Jemma, I'm the one who so inconvenienced you by sitting down here. Let me make up for i'."

"I'm the one who ordered most of this," Jemma answered. Fitz rolled his eyes. The waiter, who had been watching this exchange with amusement, broke in.

"How about I just split the bill?" he suggested, the barest hint of a grin on his face. The two nodded in agreement, straight-faced. Once the waiter was gone, however, the two broke into laughs.

"I can't believe we actually fought about that!" Jemma said, covering her giggle with one hand.

"Sorry, jus' trying to be polite and all tha'." Fitz said apologetically.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Sorry for acting all upset. It's just that when men try to pay for my dinner, they're often trying to bribe me into having a date or something." Jemma blushed, realizing the implications of what she'd said. "Not, of course, that you want to date with me, I wasn't implying-"

"It's alrigh'," Fitz cut in, laughing. The waiter returned, saving them from any more awkwardness. They paid and left the restaurant together.

"Now, I do believe you owe me a visit to a certain little shop," Fitz said with a grin.

"I suppose you're right," Jemma said, and led the way towards the little shop.

 **A/N: Sorry, that got off to a bit of a rocky start, but it will get better! This is my first AoS fic, so I'm still working on character voices and such. I'm also writing this on my iPad, so sorry if the spelling's a bit off. Anyway, like it? Hate it? Let me know in the comments below!**

 **~Daughterofnemesis (Revenge is Sweet)**


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